OFFICE 


RULING  ELDER. 


BY  THE 

Rev.  J.  FEW  SMITH,  D.D. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

PRESBYTERIAN  PUBLICATION  COMMITTEE, 

1334  CHESTNUT  STREET. 

NEW  YORK:  A.  D.  F.  RANDOLPH,  770  BROADWAY. 


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OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


The  object  of  this  treatise  is  a  practical  one.  It 
is  not  a  discussion  of  the  scriptural  authority  of 
the  Ruling  Eldership.  But,  with  a  brief  statement 
of  the  grounds  on  which  the  claims  of  the  Elder¬ 
ship  to  the  regard  of  the  Church  are  rested,  it  aims 
to  present  the  nature  and  duties  of  the  office,  with 
the  desire  to  aid  in  securing  for  it  the  highest  mea¬ 
sure  of  efficiency.  In  the  prosecution  of  this  pur¬ 
pose,  the  topic  first  claiming  consideration's 

THE  WARRANT  FOfc  THE  OFFICE. 

The  Church  of  God  is  not  simply  an  aggregate  of 
individual  believers  in  Christ.  More  truly,  it  is  an 
organized  body,  composed  indeed  of  individual  mem¬ 
bers,  each  retaining  his  own  personality,  and  made 
wise1  for  himself  and  not  for  another,  yet  all  governed 
by  common  principles  and  animated  by  a  common 
life.2 

This  body  needs  some  form  of  government.  Cer¬ 
tainly  the  Church  as  it  still  is  on  the  earth,  in  a  pro¬ 
gress  towards  completeness  in  the  spiritual  world,  and 
now  engaged  in  its  ministry  of  reconciliation,  must 
have  some  external  organization  and  form  of  govern¬ 
ment.  Without  these,  it  can  have  no  well-directed 


4 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


power  in  the  earth,  even  if  we  could  imagine  it  re 
taining  an  existence  without  them.  Certainly  without 
them  all  things  cannot  he  done  “  decently  and  in 
order.” 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  supreme  Head  of  the 
Church,  from  whom  all  authority  is  derived.1  The 
Bible  is  the  only  rule  of  faith,  and  our  only  authorita¬ 
tive  directory  for  government  and  worship.  The 
canons  and  the  rubric  that  have  the  sanction  of  the 
“  chief  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  our  souls”  are  the 
only  ones  that  are  binding  on  our  conscience.  We 
hold,  in  the  words  of  our  confession,  that2  “  God  alone 
is  Lord  of  the  conscience,  and  hath  left  it*  free  from 
the  doctrines  and  commandments  of  men  which  are  in 
any  thing  contrary  to  his  word,  or  beside  it  in  mat¬ 
ters  of  faith  or  worship.” 

To  his  ancient  Jewish  Church  God  gave  very  de¬ 
finite  and  precise  rules  for  government  and  worship. 
But  in  the  Hew  Testament  we  do  not  find  any  dis¬ 
tinct  form  of  Church-government  positively  enjoined. 
Hence  there  may  be  honest  differences  of  opinion  on 
the  subject  of  ecclesiastical  polity,  and  no  particular 
form  and  method  of  ruling  the  Church  can  be  of  bind¬ 
ing  authority.  At  the  same  time,  certain  leading 
principles  may  be  discovered,  to  which  all  ought  to 
conform. 

The  essential  ideas  of  Presbyterianism,  as  a  form 
of  government,  are  the  independence  of  the  Church 
of  any  secular  power  or  any  ecclesiastical  hierarchy; 
the  parity  of  the  ministry;  the  right  of  the  people  to 
elect  their  own  church-officers  and  regulate  their  own 
affairs,  subject  to  the  law  of  Christ;  the  government 
of  the  church  by  elders,  or  officers  elected  from  among 


1  Matt,  xxviii.  18;  Ephes.i.  20-22,  iv.  7-13.  2  Chapter  xx.  sec.  ii. 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


5 


the  people,  representing  them,  and  solemnly  ordained 
for  this  purpose ;  and  the  uniting  of  local  or  individual 
churches,  by  means  of  their  officers,  into  general 
councils  representing  the  Church  at  large,  without 
legislative,  but  with  advisory  and  judicial,  authority. 

Without  claiming  for  Presbyterianism  a  prescriptive 
authority,  we  hold  that  it  is  abundantly  sanctioned 
by  the  Scriptures  and  sustained  by  history.  The 
government  of  the  Church,  as  seen  in  the  New  Testa¬ 
ment,  was  assigned  to  a  distinct  body  of  officers,  set 
apart  for  that  work  from  among  the  people  them¬ 
selves,  and  constituting  collectively  the  Presbytery 
or  Eldership.  The  Church  at  large  being  necessarily 
divided  into  local  congregations  or  churches,  each  of 
these  administered  its  affairs  by  its  own  officers;  while 
there  were  occasional  assemblages  of  these  officers 
from  a  number  of  the  churches  in  a  given  district,  for 
purposes  of  consultation  and  the  deciding  of  questions 
of  general  interest.  These  elders  of  the  Church  con¬ 
sisted  of  two  classes :  first,  there  were  those  whose 
office  it  was  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  to  have  the 
general  care  of  the  interests  of  the  Church:  these 
wrere  the  pastors,  or  the  teaching  and  ruling  elders. 
Secondly,  there  were  those  whose  office  it  was  to 
unite  with  the  pastors  in  managing  the  affairs  of  the 
Church,  without  exercising  the  office  of  public  teachers : 
these  were  the  ruling  elders. 

It  is  a  widely-held  opinion  that  the  early  Christian 
churches,  so  far  as  they  received  any  formal  organiza¬ 
tion,  were  regulated  after  the  model  of  the  Jewish 
synagogue;  not  that  the  apostles  purposely  and 
deliberately  took  this  as  a  model,  but  that,  being 
familiar  with  it,  they  were  naturally  led  by  their 
Jewish  habits  and  associations  to  construct  their 
Christian  organizations  after  this  manner.  In  the 


6 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


synagogue  u  there  were  certain  men  of  reputation  in¬ 
trusted  with  the  direction  of  the  assembly,  and  called 
rulers,”  or  elders,  one  of  whom  presided  and  officiated 
in  the  public  assemblies.  But  the  title  and  office  of 
elder  are  of  much  older  date  than  the  synagogue,  and 
formed  a  part  of  the  established  Jewish  ecclesiastical 
system  from  the  beginning  down  to  the  time  of  the 
apostles.  And  it  is,  not  without  reason,  regarded  by 
some  as  the  one  feature  of  ecclesiastical  government 
designed  by  the  supreme  Head  of  the  Church  to  be 
perpetual,  while  all  else  connected  with  the  Jewish 
system  was  temporary  and  symbolical.1 


1  “The  office  of  Presbyter  or  Elder  was  the  only  permanent,  essential 
office  of  the  Jewish  Church,  and  as  such  was  retained  under  the  new 
organization  without  any  formal  institution,  and  therefore  without  any 
distinct  mention  in  the  history,  such  as  we  find  afterwards  in  reference 
to  the  organization  of  the  Gentile  Churches,  where  the  office  had  no  pre¬ 
vious  existence  and  must  therefore  be  created  by  the  act  of  ordination. 
(Acts  xiv.  23.)  This  is  a  much  more  probable  account  of  the  institution 
of  the  Christian  Eldership  than  that  which  derives  it  from  the  con¬ 
stitution  of  the  Jewish  Synagogue,  which  was  itself  probably  of  later 
date,  and,  as  a  separate  organization,  without  divine  authority.” — Alex¬ 
ander  on  Acts  xi.  30.  See  also  the  same  on  Acts  vi.  9  and  xiv.  23. 

The  following  passages  from  Dr.  Stuart  Robinson’s  recent  work  on 
“  The  Church  of  God ”  are  worthy  of  regard  for  their  earnest  and  elo¬ 
quent  setting  forth  of  his  opinions  on  this  point  and  some  others  in¬ 
volved  in  this  discussion, — even  though  we  may  hesitate  to  concur  with 
him  entirely. 

“While  yet  the  two  divine  governmental  institutions — the  Church  and 
the  State — remained  embosomed  in  the  still  earlier  divine  institution 
of  the  family,  the  power  of  rule  delegated  by  the  Great  King  to  men 
was  exercised  by  the  patriarchs,  or  natural  elders  of  the  community. 
So  soon  as,  under  the  covenant  with  Abraham  chartering  a  distinct 
community  of  the  chosen,  such  a  community  actually  existed,  as  the 
shortening  of  human  life  no  longer  permitted  a  patriarchal  rule,  the 
Elders,  as  the  successors  of  the  patriarchs,  are  found  intrusted  with  the 
Church  visible.  Before  the  national  organization  under  Moses,  there 
were  Elders  in  charge  of  the  covenant  people;  and  to  them  must  Moses 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


T 


Without  insisting'  on  any  divine  ordinance  regu¬ 
lating  the  matter,  the  apostles. might  readily,  from  the 


exhibit  the  seals  of  his  commission,  as  the  authorized  agent  of  the  God 
of  Abraham,  and  of  Isaac,  and  of  Jacob,  come  to  execute  the  stipulations 
of  the  ancient  Covenant.*  Through  the  Elders  was  given  to  the  Church 
the  ordinance  of  the  Passover.f  Before  them  as  representatives  of  the 
Church  was  the  typical  rock  smitten. J  To  the  Church,  through  her 
Elders,  after  solemn  preparation,  were  the  revelations  of  Sinai  made, 
and  these  in  form  of  a  solemn  Covenant  between  Jehovah  and  his 
people. ||  The  Elders  partook  with  Moses  of  the  solemn  sacrificial  feast 
in  the  mount,  as  preparatory  to.  the  reception  of  the  ecclesiastical  and 
ritual  Constitution  from  Jehovah. §  The  Elders,  with  the  priests,  con¬ 
stituted  the  supreme  ecclesiastical  tribunal  to  which  all  appeals  should 
come.^f  Even  in  Israel  under  the  apostasy  the  form  of  government  was 
not  lost  sight  of,  but  the  Elders  sat  with  Elisha.**  So  too  even  after 
the  fall  of  the  nation  as  such,  the  Elders  met  with  God’s  prophet  on  the 
river  Chebar.ff  And  in  the  wasted  and  corrupt  Jerusalem,  the  form 
of  Jehovah’s  appointed  court  of  the  Church  survived  all  regard  and  fear 
of  Jehovah,  and  a  corrupt  court  of  the  priests  and  elders  condemned  to 
death  his  prophet  Jeremiah  for  speaking  the  warnings  of  Jehovah. JJ 
When  Messiah  came  to  his  own,  and  his  own  received  him  not,  the  re¬ 
gard  for  the  divinely-appointed  form  of  ecclesiastical  government  is 
found  still  surviving,  though  men  made  void  the  Divine  Law  through 
their  traditions.  Priests  and  Elders  formed  the  council  that  condemned 
the  Son  of  God.  The  Elders,  under  the  dispensation  of  the  Spirit,  still 
occupy  their  position  toward  the  Church,  appointed  by  the  Holy  Ghost 
to  take  oversight  as  in  the  Church  of  old.  And  again,  in  the  prophetic- 
vision  of  the  glorious  Church  of  the  future,  John  saw  the  great  congre¬ 
gation,  still  in  eternity  as  in  time,  represented  by  four-and-twenty 
elders, — twelve  for  the  ancient  and  twelve  for  the  new  dispensation, — 
but  one  body,  uniting  together  in  casting  their  crowns,  the  symbol  of 
their  official  authority,  at  the  feet  of  Him  whom  they  unite  to  acknow¬ 
ledge  as  Head  and  Source  of  all  authority  in  the  Church  in  all  ages.” — 
pp.  65-67.  * 

“Now,  the  Scriptures  exhibit,  accordingly,  this  actual  uniformity  of 
government,  by  a  series  of  tribunals  representing  the  different  extents 
of  the^  meaning  of  the  word  ‘  Church,’  as  existing  under  every  dispensa- 


*  Ex.  iii.  15,  16;  iv.  29-31.  f  Ex.  xii.  3,  21.  {  Ex.  xvii.  5,  6. 

11  Ex.  xix.  7,  8 ;  xxiv.  7,  8.  g  Ex.  xxiv.  9, 11.  %  Deut.  xvii.  9-12. 

**  2  Kings  vi.  32.  ff  Ezek.  viii.  1.  Jer.  xxvi.  8,17. 


8 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


force  of  custom,  and  from  the  fitness  of  the  thing 
itself,  introduce  such  a  form  of  government  into  the 
Christian  Church;  or  it  might  seem  to  grow  up 
naturally  there,  as  those  converted  to  Christ  asso¬ 
ciated  themselves  for  worship.  At  all  events,  we  find 
that  in  the  early  Christian  churches  the  government 
of  affairs,  and  the  conducting  of  public  services,  were 
intrusted  to  a  number  of  men  called  elders ,  or  presby¬ 
ters,  or  overseers,  or  bishops, — for  all  these  words  are 
equivalent  in  scriptural  usage,  presbyter  (or  elder) 
and  bishop  being  used  interchangeably  with  reference 
to  the  same  persons.1 

There  was  in  the  primitive  Church  a  plurality  of 
elders,  that  is,  several  elders  belonging  to  a  single 
church.  And  it  is  a  fair  presumption  that  they  were 
not  all  pastors  or  preachers.  For  why  should  several 
preachers  or  pastors  be  needed  for  a  single  church? 
And  is  it  probable  there  could  be  found  in  every  one 


tion.  Elders  and  ministers  of  the  word  form  their  constituent  ele¬ 
ments, — and  that  in  tribunals  having  jurisdiction  of  various  degrees 
of  extent,  from  a  single  community  of  worshippers  up  to  that  over  the 
whole  visible  body.  Such  was  the  structure  of*the  ecclesiastical  tribu¬ 
nals,  as  distinct  from  the  civil,  under  the  first  general  organization  of 
Moses  ;*  such  it  appears  in  all  the  subsequent  history  whenever  occa¬ 
sion  calls  for  a  reference  to  it.f  Such  we  find  it,  beyond  all  contro¬ 
versy,  at  the  opening  of  the  New  Testament, — as  appears  from  the  nume¬ 
rous  allusions  to  the  synagogue  with  its  elders  and  chief  ruler,  and  to  the 
sanhedrim  of  chief  priests,  priests,  and  elders ;  and  such,  with  scarce  a 
single  important  modification,  do  we  find  the  government  of  the  Church 
under  the  apostles, J  and  so  left  as  the  perpetual  order  of  government  for 
the  Church.” — lb.  pp.  93-94. 

1  Compare  Acts  xx.  17  with  verse  28;  1  Peter  v.  1,  2.  “  Overseer”  is 

the  exact  translation  of  the  Greek  word  from  which  our  word  “bishop”  is 
derived.  The  Greeks  gave  it  as  a  title  to  officers  sent  into  the  provinces 
as  inspectors  of  their  condition. 


*  Deut.  xvii.  8-12. 


f  2  Chron.  xix.  8-11. 


X  Acts  XT. 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


9 


of  the  churches  several  men  with  the  requisite  qualifi¬ 
cation  for  the  pastoral  office  ?  For  we  must  remem¬ 
ber  that  the  special  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit  ceased  at 
the  end  of  the  apostolic  age,  and  that  thenceforth  the 
Church  was  conducted  by  the  wisdom  of  men  under 
the  ordinary  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Besides, 
we  find  that  there  were  individual  pastors  spoken  of 
in  connection  with  churches  to  which  a  plurality  of 
elders  is ;  ascribed.1  And  is  it  not  altogether  most 
natural  to  suppose  that  while  (after  the  manner  of  the 
apostles)  one  gave  himself  up  to  the  ministry  of  the 
word,  he  had  associated  with  him  a  number  of  judi¬ 
cious  and  earnest  men,  to  aid  him  by  their  counsels 
and  by  sharing  with  him  the  responsibility  of  govern¬ 
ment?  That  such  was  the  case  after  the  time  of  the 
apostles,  we  have  evidence  in  the  writings  of  some  of 
the  fathers.  But,  glancing  at  a  portion  of  the  scriptural 
testimony  on  this  point,  we  find  a  plurality  of  elders 
spoken  of  in  several  instances.  For  example,  at  Jeru¬ 
salem,2  where  they  are  mentioned  in  distinction  from 
the  apostles  and  other  members  of  the  Church;  and 
again  “the  elders”  of  the  Church  at  Ephesus  are 
spoken  of.3  The  Apostle  James  (v.  14)  writes  to  the 
sick  to  send  for  the  elders  of  the  church.  Paul  and 
Barnabas,  on  their  return  from  their  missionary  tour, 
ordained  elders  in  every  church.4  Titus  is  directed 
to  ordain  elders  in  every  city.5 

How,  observe  that  we  find  a  distinction  made  between 
the  elders  who  teach  and  the  elders  who  rule.  Thus,  we 
find  “helps,”  “governments,”  and  “ruling”  spoken 
of  as  distinct  offices  in  1  Cor.  xii.  28,  and  Eomans  xii* 
More  explicitly  we  have  this  passage  : — “  Let  the  elders 


1  Compare  Rev.  ii.  1  with  Acts  xx.  17. 

3  Acts  xx.  17.  4  Acts  xiv.  23. 


2  Acts  xi.  30,  xv.  4,  6. 

5  Titus  i.  5, 


10 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


who  rule  well  he  counted  worthy  of  double  honour ,  espe¬ 
cially  those  who  labour  in  the  word  and  doctrine”1  Here 
plainly  two  classes  of  elders  are  spoken  of— elders 
who  only  rule  well,  and  elders  who  both  rule  and 
labour  in  the  word  and  doctrine  ;  and  this  is  exactly 
our  modern  'distinction  between  ruling  elders  and 
pastors  or  ministers.2 

This  is  an  outline  of  the  argument  for  the  scriptural 
validity  of  the  office  of  ruling  elder.  We  believe  this 
office  is  sanctioned  by  apostolic  authority  and  by  the 
example  of  the  primitive  Church.  We  believe  that 
there  were  then  men  selected  from  the  members  of 
the  church  and  associated  with  the  pastor  in  the 
government  and  discipline  of  the  church.  And  we 
see  an  advantage  in  such  an  institution,  which,  apart 
from  its  scripturalness,  greatly  commends  it  to  our 
regard.  The  elders  serve  on  the  one  hand  to  form  a 
popular  check  on  any  attempt  of  the  pastors  or  minis¬ 
ters  to  lord  it  over  God's  heritage,  and  on  the  other, 
to  secure  a  more  dispassionate  and  impartial  adminis¬ 
tration  of  the  interests  of  the  church  than  if  this 
were  left  to  the  popular  assembly  of  the  whole  body 
of  church-members.  They  are  an  invaluable  board 
of  counsel  to  the  pastor,  and  are  invested  with  such 
official  relations  to  the  congregation  as  give  them 
opportunities  for  great  usefulness. 

Those  who  are  familiar  with  this  subject  know  how 
readily  numerous  authorities  might  be  adduced  to 
sustain  these  positions,  and  to  show  also  the  high 
estimate  which  good  and  wise  men  of  other  denomi¬ 
nations  than  our  own  have  formed  of  the  eldership. 
We  will  cite  only  these  words  of  the  learned  Dr. 
Owen  and  of  Eichard  Baxter.  Dr.  Owen  says,  “  To 


‘1  Tim.  y.  17. 


*  See  also  1  Thess.  v.  12,  13 ;  Heb.  xiii.  7. 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


11 


the  complete  constitution  of  any  particular  church,  or 
the  perfection  of  its  organical  state,  it  is  required  that 
there  be  many  elders  in  it, — at  least,  more  than  one.,r 
“  With  these  elders  the  whole  rule  of  the  church  is 
intrusted :  all  these,  and  only  they,  do  rule  it.  Of 
these  elders  there  are  two  sorts.  The  first  sort  doth 
rule,  and  also  labour  in  word  and  doctrine.  They  are 
elders  with  the  addition  of  pastoral  or  teaching 
authority.  But  there  are  elders  which  are  not  pastors 
or  teachers.  Elders  that  rule  well,  but  labour  not  in 
the  word  and  doctrine,  are  ruling  elders  only.”1 
“  And,  besides  what  is  expressly  spoken  concerning 
the  appointment  of  this  sort  of  elders  in  the  Church, 
their  usefulness,  in  the  necessity  of  their  work  and 
employment,  is  evident.”2  Baxter,  though  declining 
to  admit  the  divine  institution  of  the  ruling  eldership, 
says,  “My  judgment  is,  that  ordinarily  every  par¬ 
ticular  church  (such  as  our  parish  churches  are)  had 
more  elders  than  one,  but  not  such  store  of  men  of 
eminent  gifts  as  that  all  these  elders  could  be  such. 
But  as  if  half  a  dozen  of  the  most  judicious  persons 
of  this  parish  were  ordained  to  be  elders  of  the  same 
office  with  myself,  but,  because  they  are  not  equally 
fit  for  public  preaching,  should  most  employ  them¬ 
selves  in  the  rest  of  the  oversight,  consenting  that 
the  public  preaching  lie  most  upon  me,  and  that  I  bo 
the  moderator  of  them  for  order  in  circumstantials. 
This  I  think  was  the  true  episcopacy  and  presbytery 
of  the  first  times.”3 


1  True  Nature  of  a  Gospel  Church.  Chap.  vii.  sec.  9,  13.  Works,  vol. 
xvi.  pp.  112, 117. 

2  A  Brief  Instruction  in  the  Worship  of  God.  Q.  31.  Works,  voL  xv. 
p.  505. 

5  Quoted  by  Dr.  Miller,  “  On  Ruling  Elders/1  chap.  vii.  pp.  148-149. 


12 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


Let  us  look  next  at 

THE  NATURE  AND  DESIGN  OF  THE  OFFICE. 

These  may  be  expressed  in  the  following  proposi¬ 
tion.  The  Ruling  Eldership  is  a  spiritual  office  designed 
to  secure  the  good  order  and  healthy  life  of  the  Church. 

I.  As  to  the  nature  of  the  office. — The  ruling 
eldership  is  a  spiritual  office. 

It  is  a  spiritual  office  in  the  same  sense  in  which 
the  pastoral  or  ministerial  office  is  spiritual.  It  is 
concerned  directly  with  the  maintenance  and  spread 
of  religion,  and  with  the  life  of  religion  in  the  souls 
of  men.  This  we  argue  from  the  manner  in  which 
elders  and  pastors  are  spoken  of  under  the  same 
expressions;  from  the  facts  of  their  being  solemnly 
ordained  to  their  work,  and  joining  in  ordaining 
others ;  from  the  work  which  they  seem  to  have  per¬ 
formed  in  the  early  churches ;  and  from  the  directions 
given  them  by  inspired  apostles. 

1.  In  several  cases  in  which  bodies  of  elders  are 
spoken  of,  it  is  impossible  to  show  that  both  teaching 
and  ruling  elders  are  not  meant,  while  the  inference  is 
a  fair  one  that  both  are  included :  for  example,  in 
Acts  xx.  28,  the  appointment  of  the  elders  is  ascribed 
to  the  Holy  Ghost,  also  Acts  xv.  4 ;  1  Pet.  v.  1,  2 ; 
1  -Tim.  v.  17;  Titus  i.  5,  et  seq.  In  these  cases  they 
seem  to  be  placed  in  the  same  category  with  minis¬ 
ters,  though  elsewhere  specific  duties  are  assigned  to 
them.  They  may  no  more  be  regarded  as  secular 
officers,  or  called  officially  to  a  secular  work,  than  the 
ministers;  though  as  members  of  the  church  they 
may  attend  to  secular  matters. 

„  2.  They  were  solemnly  ordained  to  their  work  by 

the  laying  on  of  hands.  (Acts  xiv.  23 ;  Titus  i.  5.) 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER, 


13 


This  denotes  a  specific  setting  apart  to  a  solemn  re¬ 
ligious  work,— not  merely  secular.  And  though  we 
9  cannot  perhaps  prove  that  ruling  elders  took  part  in 
the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  presbytery  in  ordi¬ 
nation,  yet  the  contrary  cannot  be  established.  And 
it  is  altogether  probable  that  they  participated  in  the 
appointment  of  candidates  for  ordination,  just  as  now 
with  us  they  take  part  in  examining  and  admitting 
candidates  for  the  ministry,  though  custom  has  as¬ 
signed  the  direct  act  of  ordaining  by  the  imposition 
of  hands  to  the  ministers. 

If  it  be  said  that  deacons  were  also  set  apart  to  their 
work  by  the  laying  on  of  hands,  and  they  had  to  do 
with  secular  things,  it  is  answered  that  we  claim  that 
the  office  of  deacon  is  also  spiritual  in  its  nature,  and 
that  the  secularises  with  which  it  is  concerned  are, 
so  to  speak,  spiritual  secularities.  Specifically,  they 
were  originalty  appointed  to  take  care  of  the  poor, 
to  collect*  and  disburse  the  charities  of  the  Church. 
They  were  not  designed  to  attend  to  the  revenues  of 
the  Church,  to  erect  buildings  and  watch  over  what 
are  now  known  as  the  temporalities  of  the  Church. 
The  first  deacons  were  important  helpers  of  the 
apostles  and  elders,  and  in  the  infancy  of  the  Church 
doubtless  did  much  in  the  way  of  preaching  the  gos¬ 
pel  and  spreading  Christianity,  some  of  them  to  that 
end  being  endowed  with  miraculous  power. 

3.  As  t'o  the  specific  work  which  the  elders  performed 
in  the  early  Church,  we  have  few  facts  in  Scripture  to* 
guide  us.  We  find  them  addressed  as  managing  the 
affairs  of  the  Church,1  commended  as  labouring  for 
the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  Church,2  ruling  the 
Church,3  taking  part  in  the  councils  of  the  Church, 

'  1  Pet.  v.  21  Thess.  v.  12,  13;  Heb.  xiii.  3  Rom.  xii.  :  1  Cor.  xii, 

2 


14 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


and  associating  with  the  apostles  in  mattters  of  in¬ 
terest  and  authority  and  in  the  exercise  of  dis¬ 
cipline.1  Only  once,  we  believe,  are  they  spoken  of  9 
as  concerned  in  a  pecuniary  matter,  and  that  was 
their  receiving  from  the  hands  of  Barnabas  and  Saul 
a  contribution  sent  from  the  Church  at  Antioch  to  the 
suffering  Christians  at  Jerusalem.2  But  this  was  a 
religious  act,  a  distribution  of  charity  committed  to 
them  as  the  responsible  representatives  of  the  Church, 
or  they  may ‘have  simply  received  it  and  handed  it 
to  the  deacons  for  distribution.  All  that  we  find  con¬ 
cerning  them  shows  theirs  to  be  a  spiritual,  not  a 
secular  office. 

4.  If  now  we  look  at  the  directions  given  to  the 
elders  in  the  New  Testament,  the  fact  that  theirs  is  a 
spiritual  office  is  brought  out  more  distinctly. 

The  address  of  the  Apostle  Paul  to  the  Elders  of 
the  Church  at  Ephesus  (Acts  xx.)  very  fully  indicates 
this.  There  can  hardly  be  any  reason  to  doubt  that 
the  ruling  elders  of  the  Church,  as  well  as  the  pastors 
or  teachers,  are  here  addressed.  How  large  the 
Church  at  Ephesus  then  was  we  do  not  know;  nor  do 
we  know  whether  more  than  a  single  congregation 
were  represented  at  this  conference  with  Paul.  But 
the  language  implies  a  number  too  large  to  be  simply 
ministers ,  and  is  inappropriate  if  confined  to  them, 
though  applicable  to  them  in  connection  with  others. 

“  And  from  Miletus  he  sent  to  Ephesus,  and  called  the 
ciders  of  the  Church.  And  when  they  were  come  to 
him,  he  said  unto  them,  Ye  know  from  the  first  day 
that  I  came  into  Asia,  after  what  manner  I  have  been 
with  you  at  all  seasons,  serving  the  Lord  with  all 
humility  of  mind,  and  with  many  tears  and  tempta- 


1  Acts  XY.  2,  l,  6,  22,  23;  xxi.  18-25. 


A cJ£  xi.  30. 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


15 


tions  which  befell  me  by  the  lying  in  wTait  of  the 
Jews,  and  how  I  kept  back  nothing  that  was  profit¬ 
able  unto  you,  but  have  showed  you,  and  have  taught 
you  publicly  and  from  house  to  house”  Again,  “  And 
now,  behold,  I  know  that  ye  all  among  whom  I  have  gone 
preaching  the  kingdom  of  God  shall  see  my  face  no 
more.”  This  language  surely  implies  more  than  a 
few  ministers  as  the  persons  addressed.  TIow  many 
were  present  we  do  not  know;  but  the  probability  is 
that  they  were  quite  a  body,  and  all  of  them  elders, — 
the  elders  of  Ephesus, — those  who  ruled  well  and 
those  who  laboured  in  word  and  doctrine.  Then 
follow  these  words,  teaching  the  nature  of  their  office, 
and  enjoining  on  them  their  duty: — u  Take  heed 
therefore  unto  yourselves,  and  to  all  the  flock  over 
the  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you  overseers, 
to  feed  the  Church  of  God,  which  he  hath  purchased 
with  his  own  blood;”  and  he  closes  his  address  with 
the  words,  “I  have  shown  you  all  things,  how  that 
so  labouring  ye  ought  to  support  the  weak,  and  to 
remember  the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  how  he  said, 
It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive.” 

How,  an  office  to  which  the  Holy  Ghost  appoints 
men,  which  relates  to  the  care  of  the  Church  of  God, 
which  calls  them  to  take  the  oversight  of  the  Church 
from  the  love  of  souls  and  love  to  God,  and  to  be 
examples  to  the  flock, — such  an  office  must  surely  be 
regarded  as  spiritual  in  its  nature. 

II.  As  to  the  design  of  the  office. — Its  design  is  to 
secure  the  good  order  and  healthy  life  of  the  Church. 

And,  first,  to  secure  the  good  order  of  the  Church. 
Under  the  Jewish  system,  the  elders  exercised  a  wider 
authority  than  under  the  Christian,  constituting  a 


16  THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 

judicial  body,  and  to  some  extent  a  civil  court.  Still, 
their  principal  functions  were  ecclesiastical,  regulating 
questions  of  order  and  discipline. 

It  is  not  a  little  remarkable  that  in  the  New  Tes¬ 
tament  the  lines  which  divide  the  province  of  one 
class  of  church-officers  from  that  of  another  are  so 
faintly  drawn.  *  This  clearly  indicates  that  in  the  in¬ 
fancy  of  the  Church  the  apostles  and  brethren  were 
more  concerned  with  great  fundamental  principles 
than  with  formal  organization,  seeking  the  conversion 
of  sinners  and  each  others’  edification,  as  co-equal 
brethren,  all  “  a  royal  priesthood”  uniting  to  worship 
God.  If  suggests,  too,  that  the  outworking  of  Chris¬ 
tian  principles  found  for  themselves  suitable  and 
simple  forms. 

Besides  the  apostles,  elders  and  deacons  are  men¬ 
tioned  ;  yet  the  word  deacons ,  or  deaconship,  (dia- 
eonate,)  we  find  applied  to  all  three  officers,  and  even 
to  the  ministry  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Still,  upon  exami¬ 
nation,  and  using  the  light  of  subsequent  history,  we 
find  that  the  teaching  elders,  or  ministers,  were  in 
trusted  with  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  the  adminis 
tration  of  the  sacraments,  and  general  oversight  of 
the  spiritual  condition  of  the  Church;  that  the  ruling 
elders,  representing  the  Church,  aided  in  the  general 
government  and  oversight  of  the  Church,  as  helps  to 
the  pastor  and  guardians  of  the  people;  while  the 
deacons,  so  far  as  we  can  trace,  were  in  one  sense 
helpers  of  the  pastor  and  elders,  charged  specifically 
with  the  charities,  sometimes  with  the  temporalities, 
of  the  Church.  ' 

The  word  “governments”  implies  that  the  office  of 
Christian  elders  pertained  to  their  regulating  the 
order  of  the  Church,  as  do  the  terms  “rule”  and 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


IT 


“ ruling  ”  which  we  find  applied  to  them.1  The  same 
thing  is  clearly  seen  in  Acts  xx^28.  They  are  “over¬ 
seers”  of  the  flock,  (perhaps  better,  in  or  among  the 
flock,  to  denote  that  they  are  not  exalted  to  an  irre¬ 
sponsible  and  despotic  authority  over  them.)  They 
are  to  take  the  oversight  of  the  flock,  not  as  lords  over 
God's  heritage,  but  as  examples  to  the  flock.  They 
are  to  “feed”  the  Church.  The  word  here  trans¬ 
lated  “feed,”  it  is  well  known,  includes  the  idea  of 
governing ,  directing.  It  literally  signifies  to  perform 
the  office  of  a  shepherd ;  and  perhaps  it  is  as  often  used 
to  mean  rule  as  feed  or  teach.  It  is  translated  rule  in 
four  out  of  five  of  the  early  English  versions  of  the 
first  of  these  passages,  and  govern  in  the  fifth ;  while 
in  the  passage  from  Peter  it  is  in  all  of  them  rendered 
by  feed.2  The  word  denotes  the  care  of  the  flock : 
guiding,  guarding,  and  supplying  with  suitable  nourish¬ 
ment.3  Hence  we  say  that  it  is  the  ‘design  of  the 
office  of  ruling  elders  to  take  care  of  the  Church , — to  see 
that  all  things  be  done  decently  and  in  order  that 
pertain  to  the  service  of  God  and  to  the  organization 
and  action  of  the  Church. 

But,  further  than  this,  They  are  to  secure  the  healthy 
life  of  the  Church. 

Not  only  the  external  order  and  discipline  of  the 
Church  are  committed  to  their  charge,  but  the  spiritual 
interests  of  the  flock  are  to  be  attended  to  by  them. 
“Take  heed  to  yourselves,  and  to  all  the  flock  over 
the  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you  overseers, 
to  feed  the  Church  of  God,  which  he  hath  purchased 


‘Rom.  xii.  8;  1  Cor.  xii.  28;  1  Tim.  v.  17;  Heb.  xiii.  17. 

2  It  is  also  translated  rule  in  Matt.  ii.  6;  Rev.  ii.  37;  xii.  5;  xix.  15. 

3  The  word  was  used  by  classical  writers  to  denote  the  rule  of  kings, 
and  its  corresponding  noun  to  signify  king,  or  governor. 


18 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


with  his  own  blood."  The  duty  of  public  teaching 
and  preaching  devolves  on  the  pastors  or  ministers  of 
the  Church;  but  conjointly  with  them  are  the  elders 
responsible  for  the  spiritual  well-being  of  the  flock. 
Their  office  calls  them  to  watch  over  the  members 
of  the  Church;  to  strengthen  the  weak;  to  reclaim 
the  wandering;  to  see  that  each  has  a  portion  in  due 
season;  to  preserve  the  purity  of  the  Church;  to 
judge  of  the  fitness  of  candidates  for  church-member¬ 
ship;  to  administer  discipline  to  erring  or  offending 
members;  to  secure  a  faithful  adherence  to  covenant 
engagements  in  the  observance  of  family  worship,  the 
regard  for  the  ordinances  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper,  the  religious  training  of  children;  to  see  that 
the  people  are  instructed  in  sound  doctrine,  that  the 
pulpit  is  supplied;  and  to  bear  part  in  the  general 
councils  of  the  Church,  for  the  defence  of  the  truth, 
the  maintenance  of  Christ's  kingship,  and  the  exten¬ 
sion  of  his  kingdom. 

The  office  of  ruling  elder  is  thus  one  of  high  spi¬ 
ritual  character,  and  of  solemn  importance  and  respon¬ 
sibility.  It  is  an  office  warranted  by  the  divine  Word, 
to  which  the  Holy  Spirit  appoints  men,  and  to  which 
is  intrusted  very  largely  the  care  of  the  Church  of 
God.  Such  seems  to  be  clearly  the  teaching  of  the 
Scriptures  concerning  it.  And  such  is  the  view  taken 
in  our  Form  of  Government.  “  Buling  elders  are 
properly  the  representatives  of  the  people,  chosen  by 
them  for  the  purpose  of  exercising  government  and 
discipline  in  conjunction  with  pastors  or  ministers."1 
They  are  set  apart  to  their  work  by  solemn  ordina¬ 
tion,  at  which  time,  after  approving  and  adopting  the 


1  Chap.  v. 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER.  19 

Confession  of  Faith  and  Form  of  Government  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  they  promise,  among  other 
things,  “  to  study  the  peace,  unity,  and  purity  of  the 
Church;”  and  the  people  promise  “to  yield  them  all  that 
honour,  encouragement,  and  obedience,  in  the  Lord, 
to  which  their  office,  according  to  the  word  of  God 
and  the  Constitution  of  this  Church,  entitles  them."1 
In  conjunction  with  the  pastor,  the  elders  constitute 
the  session  of  a  particular  church,  which  Session  “is 
charged  with  maintaining  the  spiritual  government 
of  the  congregation,  for  which  purpose  they  have 
power  to  inquire  into  the  knowledge  and  Christian 
conduct  of  the  members  of  the  church ;  to  call  before 
them  offenders  and  witnesses,  being  members  of  their 
own  congregation,  and  to  introduce  other  witnesses, 
where  it  may  be  necessary  to  bring  the  process  to 
issue,  and  when  they  can  be  procured  to  attend;  to 
receive  members  into  the  church;  to  admonish,  to 
rebuke,  to  suspend  or  exclude^  from  the  sacraments, 
those  who  are  found  to  deserve  censure;  to  concert 
the  best  measures  for  promoting  the  spiritual  interests 
of  the  congregation,  and  to  appoint  delegates  to  the 
higher  judicatories  of  the  Church.”2 

In  asserting,  then,  that  the  ruling  eldership  is  a 
spiritual  office,  designed  to  secure  the  good  order  and 
healthy  life  of  the  Church,  no  more  is  asserted  than  is 
claimed  for  it  by  our  Book  of  Faith  and  Government 
and  sanctioned  by  the  word  of  God.  It  is  wisely 
adapted  to  share  with  the  pastor  the  responsibility 
of  feeding  the  Church  of  God,  and  to  aid  him  in  de¬ 
vising  and  executing  plans  for  advancing  its  interests. 
It  is  designed  to  relieve  him  from  cares  too  numerous 
and  onerous  for  him,  so  that  he  may  give  himself  up 


1  Chap.  xiii. 


Chap.  ix. 


20 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


more  specifically  and  entirely  to  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  in  the  pulpit  and  from  house  to  house.  The 
eiders  are  the  minister’s  counsellors  and  coadjutors, 
while  at  the  same  time  the  representatives  and  friends 
of  the  congregation ;  coming  one  degree,  nearer  the 
people  than  does  the  minister,  being  themselves  a 
portion  of  the  flock  to  whom  he  ministers.  Happy  is 
that  pastor  who  has  an  efficient  board  of  elders, — men 
who  appreciate  the  nature  of  their  office,  and  who 
endeavour  to  discharge  its  duties  with  a  right  spirit. 
Aarons  and  Hurs  are  they  indeed  to  him,  holding  up 
his  hands,  cheering  his  heart,  seconding  his  efforts, 
and  doing  much  to  give  them  success.  One  wrong- 
minded,  obstinate,  or  ill-spirited  elder  may  indeed  be 
a  thorn  in  a  minister’s  side.  Such  occasionally  are 
to  be  found;  men  who  seek  to  lord  it  over  God’s 
heritage ;  to  rule  indeed  in  the  Church  of  God ;  to  rule 
pastor  as  well  as  people,  and  their  brother-elders  al^o, 

• — all  but  themselves ;  not  aware,  in  their  ambition,  or 
vanity,  or  unconscious  love  of  mischief,  that  there  is 
an  evil  spirit  within  them,  that  domineers  over  all 
that  is  good  in  them,  and  drives  them  to  do  wrong. 
Such  elders  there  are,  unhappily.  Poor  human  nature 
will  not  throw  off  infirmity,  until  the  earthly  is  ex¬ 
changed  for  the  heavenly  life.  And  we  must  not  for¬ 
get  that  the  -very  mischief  which  one  troublesome 
elder  may  cause,  is  just  an  evidence  of  the  importance 
of  the  office,  and  of  the  great  value  to  a  pastor  of 
a  judicious,  earnest,  spiritual  session.  Promptness, 
energy,  judiciousness,  impartiality, — these  are  more 
likely  to  be  secured  by  such  a  representative  body. 
Busy  bodies,  restless  men,  men  who  love  the  pre¬ 
eminence,  are  also  found  among  the  people;  and  a 
sound  session  is  a  great  help  to  a  nastoi?,  in  controlling 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


21 


them,  and  securing  the  peace  and  good  order  of  a 
congregation. 

And  happy  is  that  chureli  that  is  favoured  with  a 
wise  and  pious  eldership ;  an  eldership  alive  to  their 
duties,  and  anxious  to  perform  them ;  taking  the  over¬ 
sight  of  Christ’s  flock  with  a  willing  mind,  and  at  the 
same  time  with  a  solemn  sense  of  responsibility  to 
God.  How  much  may  they  do  to  secure  the  pros¬ 
perity  of  the  church !  counselling  church-members 
and  inquiring  penitents ;  visiting  the  families,  and 
promoting  peace  and  friendliness  of  feeling ;  conduct¬ 
ing  social  meetings;  sustaining  Sabbath-schools.  How 
much  have  the  elders  of  the  churches  done  in  these 
respects  during  seasons  of  religious  awakening !  and 
in  seasons  of  comparative  dcadness,  how  much  have 
godly,  devoted  elders  done  to  keep  alive  the  flame  of 
piety  and  the  church’s  activity! 

We  do  magnify  the  office.  It  is  not  a  mere  sinecure. 
It  is  not  a  mere  form.  ‘It  is  not  at  all  a  secular  ap¬ 
pointment.  It  is  of  high  significance  in  its  bearing 
on  the  life  of  the  Church.  It  has  wrought  much  for 
Christ’s  cause  in  the  past.  The  history  of  our  Church 
will  tell  how  the  elders  have  stood  side  by  side  with 
the  ministers,  in  battling  for  Christ  and  his  cause,  or 
how  they  have  championed  the  cause  of  the  people, 
when  a  worldly  or  arrogant  priesthood  seemed  to 
seek  predominance ;  and  how  they  have  maintained  in 
our  lower  and  higher  courts  the  principles  of  freedom, 
the  right  of  conscience,  and  the  authority  of  the  word 
of  God.  It  may  be  made  still  more  effective  as  a 
spiritual  power,  by  a  thorough  use  of  its  functions. 
And  we  shall  contribute  to  this,  if  we  exalt  it  to  its 
due  place  in  the  regard  of  the  Church,  and  if  elders 
themselves  will  realize  the  responsibility  that  rests  on 


22 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


them,  as  well  as  the  honour  that  God  and  his  Church 
have  conferred  upon  them. 

We  do  magnify  your  office,  brethren  of  the  elder¬ 
ship.  .And  we  would  have  you  magnify  it ;  not  in  the 
spirit  of  boasting  or  self-sufficiency.  Paul  had  no 
such  feeling  when  he  magnified  his  office  as  apostle 
to  the  Gentiles,  and  thanked  God  for  the  honour  con¬ 
ferred  on  him.  But  we  would  have  you  understand 
to  what  an  office  you  have  been  called,  that  you  may 
appreciate  both  your  privileges  and  responsibilities. 
Your  appointment  is  of  God ;  but  you  are  not  exalted 
above  your  fellow-Christians,  to  exercise  lordship 
over  them.  You  are  rulers  in  the  church;  but  you 
rule  by  serving.  You  are  responsible  to  God ;  you 
are  also  responsible  to  the  church.  Your  solemn 
ordination  gives  you  the  oversight  of  the  flock;  but 
you  are  amenable  to  your  brethren.  You  are  asso¬ 
ciated  with  the  pastors  in  the  government  of  the 
church ;  but  you  are  not  set  to  be  their  governors  and 
teachers.  You  are  called  to  a  spiritual  work,  to  a 
care  for  souls.  In  your  official  capacity,  the  secular 
cares  of  the  church  do  not  belong  to  you.  Yours  is 
the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  flock  of  Christ. 

Now,  what  a  demand  is  here  made  on  your  time, 
your  thoughts,  your  hearts  !  What  a  work, — a  blessed, 
precious  work, — a  work  that  has  joy  in  it  now  and 
shall  have  a  large  reward  of  faithfulness  hereafter, — 
what  a  work  has  God  given  you  !  What  solemn  re¬ 
sponsibilities  has  he  laid  on  you  !  May  yoti  so  under¬ 
stand  it,  and  the  Church  so  understand  it,  and  minis¬ 
ters  so  understand  it,  that  so  the  ruling  eldership 
may  have  due  honour,  and  the  prayers  of  the  people; 
that  it  may  not  be  an  object  of  unholy  ambition,  or 
restless  love  of  prominence;  that  its  entrance  may  be 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


23 


guarded  with  solemn  responsibilities,  and  its  work 
may  be  well.  done. 

From  this  view  of  the  nature  and  design  of  the 
office,  we  pass  now  to  consider 

THE  DUTIES  WHICH  IT  INVOLVES. 

Unavoidably  some  references  to  these  have  already 
been  made.  In  general,  the  duty  of  the  eldership  is 
to  have  an  oversight  of  the  church  ;  to  see  that  it  is  sup¬ 
plied  with  the  preaching  of  the  word,  and  the  admi¬ 
nistration  of  the  sacraments;  to  guard  its  spiritual 
character,  keeping  a  watchful  eye  upon  it;  promptly, 
and  with  a  heart  of‘ kindness,  to  admonish  those  who 
are  going  astray,  and  firmly,  but  with  equal  kindness, 
to  exercise  the  discipline  of  the  church  in  the  case  ot 
offenders. 

This  in  general.  Now  to  specify  some  particular 
The  elders  have  relations  to  the  church  and  congrega¬ 
tion  to  which  they  specially  belong ;  and  relations  to 
the  Church  at  large. 

I.  The  elders,  together  with  the  pastor  of  each 
church,  constitute  the  session  of  the  church,  whose 
duties  have  already  been  recited.  The  chief  of  these 
are  three. 

(1.)  Receiving  members  into  the  church . 

It  becomes  their  duty*,  in  connection  with  the  pastor, 
to  examine  those  who  present  themselves  as  can¬ 
didates  for  church-membership;  to  ascertain  the 
ground  of  their  religious  hope,  their  evidence  of 
Christian  character,  and  measure  of  religious  know¬ 
ledge,  and  to  decide  the  question  of  their  admittance 
to  the  communion  of  the  church.  A  solemn  and  re¬ 
sponsible  work,  to  be  conducted  with  great  care,  kind¬ 
ness,  sympathy,  discrimination.  It  is  no  light  matter 
to  hold  thus  the  keys  of  Christ’s  earthly  kingdom. 


24 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


The  purity  and  activity  of  the  church  depend  much 
on  the  right  use  of  this  trust.  The  interests  of  im¬ 
mortal  souls  may  be  affected  by  it. 

(2.)  The  exercise  of  *  church-discipline  devolves  on  the 
session. 

This  also  is  a  matter  of  great  delicacy  and  import¬ 
ance,  deeply  concerning  the  church,  and  demanding 
the  exercise  of  prudence  and  sympathy.  It  is  a  duty 
always  trying  to  the  sensibilities;  yet  it  must  not  be 
neglected.  Faithfulness  here  may  be  as  essential  to 
the  prosperity  of  the  church  as  prayer  or  preaching, 
or  care  in  admitting  members.  It  is  a  happy  thing 
when,  by  watchfulness,  private  admonition,  judicious¬ 
ness,  and  gentleness,  the  necessity  for  judicial  action 
can  be  avoided.  But  when  this  cannot  be,  judicial 
discipline  is  a  solemn  duty  that  must  be  carefully  per¬ 
formed.  In  the  performance  of  this  duty,  the  elders 
have  a  directory  in  our  Book  of  Discipline,  to  which 
it  becomes  them  closely  to  adhere. 

(3.)  The  session  are  to  concert  measures  for  promoting 
the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  church. 

The  elders  are  to  give  the  pastor  the  benefit  of  their 
counsel  and  co-operation  in  all  that  belongs  to  the 
spiritual  interest  of  their  charge,  both,  with  mutual 
confidence,  being  animated  with  a  desire  for  the 
healthful  progress  of  the  church,  and  asking  from 
time  to  time  what  may  be  done  to  secure  this. 

In  addition, — - 

(a.)  The  elders  are  charged  with  the  supply  of  the 
pulpit,  and  with  the  care  of  the  social  and  religious 
meetings  of  the  congregation.  When  no  special  ar¬ 
rangement  of  a  different  kind  is  made,  in  case  of  the 
pulpit  being  vacant,  or  the  pastor  being  absent,  it 
would  devolve  on  them  to  secure  suitable  ministerial 
services,  and,  as  circumstances  might  indicate,  to  sug- 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


25 


gest  to  the  congregation  such  a  person  as  they  might 
think  suitable  for  the  vacant  charge;  while  the  people 
naturally  look  to  them  to  conduct  the  prayer  and 
conference  meetings,  as  these  occur. 

( b .)  According  to  the  custom  of  our  churches,  (with 
some  exceptions,)  it  belongs  to  the  elders  to  distribute 
the  elements  in  the  administration  of  the  Lord's 
Supper. 

(c.)  They  should  feel  themselves  called  upon  to  co¬ 
operate  with  the  pastor  in  the  oversight  of  the  youth 
of  the  congregation.  They  are  to  take  heed  “to  all 
the  flock."  This  involves  (1)  The  encouragement  and 
securing,  as  far  as  practicable,  of  parental  discipline ; 
enjoining  on  church-members  the  bringing  of  their 
children  to  baptism ;  the  observance  of  family  wor¬ 
ship,  and  religious  instruction  at  home;  doing  what 
they  can  to  have  all  these  practically  regarded.  It 
involves  (2)  The  support  of  Sabbath-schools ,  the  giving 
to  them  their  countenance  and  aid;  and  in  general  the 
religious  instruction  of  the  young,  especially  of  the 
baptized  children  of  the  church.  (3)  It  involves  a 
regard  for  the  education  of  young  men  for  the  ministry. 
This  is  a  province  in  which  the  elders  of  our  churches 
have  weightier  responsibilities  than  many  of  them 
have  yet  discerned,  and  in  which  they  may  do  a 
noble  work  for  the  ministry  and  the  Church  at  large, 
while  developing  the  piety  and  strength  of  their  own 
congregations.  With  an  earnest,  intelligent  interest 
in  this  matter,  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  the  Master 
in  his  words,  “  The  harvest  truly  is  plenteous,  but  the 
labourers  are  few  :  pray  ye  therefore  the  Lord  of  the 
harvest  that  he  will  send  forth  labourers  into  his 
harvest,"  (Matt.  ix.  37,  38,)  they  may  keep  this  sub¬ 
ject  before  the  mind  and  heart  of  the  Church,  and 
enlist  her  large  interest  and  prayers  and  contribu- 


26 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


tions  in  its  behalf.  They  may  thus  call  out  into  the 
ministry  larger  numbers  of  young  men,  and  secure  for 
our  institutions  of  learning  the  support  they  need. 
Another  duty  devolving  on  the  elders  is — 

(d.)  Family  visiting .  This,  while  commended  to  us 
by  its  intrinsic  excellence,  is  implied  by  the  very  fact 
of  the  general  oversight  committed  to  them.  That 
they  may  faithfully  execute  their  office,  it  is  essential 
that  they  should  be  acquainted  with  the  members  of 
the  church,  and  it  cannot  be  doubted — for  experience 
proves  it — that  great  benefit  to  the  spiritual  condition 
of  the  church  arises  from  a  judicious  system  of  visit¬ 
ing  properly  executed  by  the  elders.  They  are  not 
inquisitors;  but  they  are  brethren,  sustaining  along 
with  their  fraternal  an  official  relation,  and  “they 
have  power  to  inquire  into  the  knowledge  and  Chris¬ 
tian  conduct  of  the  members  of  the  church.”  There  is 
probably  not  a  family  in  any  church  or  congregation, 
that  would  not  welcome  a  visit  from  its  elders.  Cer¬ 
tainly  it  is  the  general  sentiment  that  such  visits 
should  be  made,  not  as  mere  formalities,  but  as  friendly 
religious  calls,  in  which  kindliness  of  feeling  shall  pre¬ 
vail  and  the  religious  well-being  of  the  family  shall 
be  sought.  It  would  be  a  blessed  thing  if  there  were 
more  of  this  friendly  religious  intercourse  among  the 
members  of  the  Church.  The  Church  is  too  far  from 
realizing  the  benefits  that  would  flow  from  proper 
Christian  intercourse  and  religious  conversation. 
She  has  not  yet  entered  into  the  enjoyment  of  Mai.  iii. 
16,  17  : — “  Then  they  that  feared  the  Lord  spake  often 
one  to  another;  and  the  Lord  hearkened,  and  heard 
it,  and  a  book  of  remembrance  was  written  before 
him  for  them  that  feared  the  Lord,  and  that  thought 
upon  his  name.  And  they  shall  be  mine,  saith  the 
Lord  cf  Hosts,  in  that  day  when  I  make  up  my  jewels; 


.  THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


27 


and  I  will  spare  them,  as  a  man  spareth  his  own  son 
that  serveth  him.”  But  the  official  relations  of  the 
elders  render  this  peculiarly  incumbent  on  them.  The 
right  discharge  of  this  duty  will  do  much  to  secure 
the  harmony  and  friendly  feeling  of  the  church,  the 
attachment  of  members  to  each  other  and  to  their 
office-bearers,  and  to  promote  the  comfort  and  the 
piety  of  God's  saints,  and  to  bring  many  into  his 
Church.  The  loving  fidelity  and  zeal  of  the  elders  in 
many  of  our  churches  have  been  greatly  owned  and 
blessed  by  God  in  the  conversion  of  many  souls,  and  in 
the  reviving  of  many  Christians. 

(e.)  The  elders  are  also  to  be  examples  to  the  flock , 
manifesting  in  their  own  lives,  and  in  their  families, 
such  a  spirit  and  behaviour  as  they  inculcate  on  others. 
And  this  assumes  the  more  significance  from  the  fact 
that,  as  laymen,  not  solely  given  up  to  the  work  of 
the  ministry  and  sustained  by  a  regular  support  from 
the  church,  elders  are  engaged  in  the  secular  business 
of  life.  Hence  they  are  brought  more  constantly 
among  men,  into  the  world,  and  have  opportunities 
of  manifesting  a  Christian  character,  of  carrying  the 
influences  of  religion,  where  the  pastor  seldom  goes. 
A  wide  field  of  usefulness  is  thus  opened  to  them, 
while  a  large  responsibility  rests  on  them,  calling  for 
much  watchfulness  and  prayer. 

II.  The  elders  have  relations  to  the  Church  at  large . 
It  is  their  duty,  as  they  may  be  appointed,  to  repre¬ 
sent  their  own  church  and  congregation  in  the  Pres¬ 
bytery  and  the  Synod,  and  their  Presbytery  in  the 
General  Assembly.  It  becomes  them  to  be  punctual 
and  prompt  in  their  attendance,  and  to  give  their  at¬ 
tention  and  their  counsel,  as  occasion  may  demand, 
in  all  the  deliberations  of  these  bodies.  Here  some 
of  their  most  solemn  and  responsible  duties  are  per- 


28 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


formed.  The  examining  of  candidates  for  the  ministry, 
and  approving  them  as  suitable  for  ordination;  the 
investigation  and  decision  of  judicial  cases,  affecting 
the  rights  of  individuals  or  bodies,  or  interpreting 
fundamental  principles  of  church-government;  and 
the  adopting  and  recommending  of  plans  of  action, 
for  the  promotion  of  the  interests  of  the  Church,  the 
spread  of  Christ's  kingdom,  involving  sometimes  prin 
ciples  of  highest  importance ;  in  such  matters  as  these, 
the  elders  are  called  to  act  for  the  good  of  the  Church 
and  the  glory  of  God.  And  it  is  highly  desirable  that 
the  brethren  of  the  eldership  should  in  larger  numbers 
join  with  the  brethren  of  the  ministry  in  our  eccle¬ 
siastical  judicatories  and  in  their  deliberations.  Their 
punctual  presence  and  active  participation  in  these 
might  add  greatly  to  the  efficiency  of  the  Church, 
while  enlarging  their  own  views  on  the  importance 
of  their  office  and  deepening  their  interest  in  it. 

Such  is  a  mere  glance  at  some  of  the  duties  of  the 
eldership.  Truly  it  is  no  sinecure,  but  a  responsible 
and  honourable  position,  affording  large  opportunities 
for  usefulness.  The  elder  may  say,  “Who  is  suffi¬ 
cient  for  these  things  ?”  But  he  can  look  for  help 
to  God,  and  covet  the  reward  of  faithfulness.  He  will 
greatly  need  divine  aid.  He  will  greatly  need  to  lead 
a  life  of  prayer;  to  cultivate  a  familiarity  with  the 
Scriptures  and  an  intelligent  apprehension  of  their 
meaning,  and  an  acquaintance  with  the  condition  of 
the  Church  and  the  progress  of  Christ's  kingdom. 

In  order  to  complete  our  view  of  the  subject,  we 
ought  to  glance  yet  at  two  points, — the  qualifications 
for  the  eldership,  and  the  duties  of  the  people  towards 
the  elders. 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


29 


THE  QUALIFICATIONS  FOR  THE  ELDERSHIP. 

What  Paul  says  to  Timothy  about  bishops ,  and  to 
Titus  about  elders ,  using  the  two  terms  as  synonymous, 
is  certainly  applicable  to  ruling  as  well  as  to  teaching 
elders: — “A  bishop  must  be  blameless,  as  the  steward 
of  God ;  not  self-willed,  not  soon  angry,  not  given  to 
wine,  no  striker,  not  given  to  filthy  lucre ;  but  a  lover 
of  hospitality,  a  lover  of  good  men,  just,  holy,  tem¬ 
perate,  holding  fast  the  faithful  word  as  he  hath  been 
taught,  that  he  may  be  able,  by  sound  doctrine,  both 
to  exhort  and  to  convince  the  gainsayers.”1 

To  mention  more  particularly  a  few  of  the  promi¬ 
nent  qualifications,  there  is — 

1.  Sound  piety.  On  this  point  there  need  be  scarcely 
a  remark.  An  elder  ought  to  be  a  man  of  unques¬ 
tioned  and  earnest  piety;  a  member  in  full  standing 
in  the  church  which  he  is  called  to  serve  as  an  elder, 
and  one  whose  life  commends  his  piety  to  the  regard 
of  his  brethren. 

2.  He  should  be  a  man  of  some  Christian  experience; 
u  not  a  novice;”  not  one  recently  converted,  knowing 
comparatively  little  of  his  own  heart  and  of  the  strug¬ 
gles  of  the  Christian  life,  and  so  unfitted  to  sympa¬ 
thize  wfith  his  brethren  and  counsel  them,  and  to 
examine  those  applying  for  admittance  to  the  church, 
or  to  sit  in  judgment  on  those  charged  with  delin¬ 
quency.  Our  book  presents  us  no  limit  as  to  age,  or 
length  of  Christian  profession, — the  word  elder  being 
merely  an  official  title,  having  no  reference  to  length 
of  days.2  Each  case  must  be  judged  by  its  own  merits, 

1  Titus  i.  7-9 ;  1  Tim.  3. 

2  It  is  interesting  to  observe  how  this  title  has  found  a  place  in  the 
principal  languages.  Obviously  its  origin  is  in  the  fact  that  the  older 
men  originally  bore  rule,  as  commanding  respect  and  reverence  for 


30 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


for  individuals  will  differ  widely  in  qualifications  :  tlie 
Christian  of  recent  connection  with  the  Church  may 
have  a  deeper  experience  than  some  of  older  standing. 
But  the  apostolic  rule  is,  “Not  a  novice,”1  and,  “Lay 
hands  suddenly  on  no  man.”2 

3.  He  should  be  sound  in  the  faith. 

His  should  be  an  intelligent  piety,  so  that  he  may 
be  able  to  give  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  him,  to 
maintain  his  position,  and  to  defend  the  truth  against 
gainsay ers.  He  should  also  be  qualified  to  instruct 
others.  Knowing  what  are  the  doctrines  of  the  gos¬ 
pel,  as  held  by  his  denomination,  and  holding  them 
sincerely,  he  should  be  able  to  contend  for  them 
earnestly.  Our  ordination-service  requires  of  the 
elder  to  affirm  that  he  does  “sincerely  receive  and 
adopt  the  Confession  of  Faith  of  this  Church,  as  con¬ 
taining  the  system  of  doctrine  taught  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures.”  Only  thus  will  he  be  qualified  to  counsel 
others  as  to  the  views  of  the  Church,  or  to  perform  his 
appropriate  part  in  the  session  when  persons  apply 
for  admission  to  the  communion  of  the  Church,  or  in 
the  higher  judicatories. 

4.  He  should  be  a  man  of  prudence. 

Prudence  is  of  more  importance  than  learning  in 
conducting  the  affairs  intrusted  to  the  eldership, 


their  age  and  wisdom  and  paternal  authority.  But  it  soon  passed  from 
this  primitive  signification  into  a  simple  name  of  office.  Besides  odr 
word  elder ,  which  is  of  Saxon  origin,  we  have  transferred  into  our  lan¬ 
guage  the  Greek  words  “  Presbyter”  (of  which  Elder  is  the  translation) 
and  “ Presbytery,”  denoting  a  body  of  ministers  or  elders;  and  from  the 
Latin  word  of  the  same  signification  we  have  “  Senator”  and  “  Senate.”  Of 
a  similar  origin  are  the  French  “  Seigneur,”  and  the  “Grand  Seignior” 
of  Turkey,  and  the  Spanish  “  Senor,”  and  some  others.  Out  of  all  these, 
as  well  as  of  our  Saxon  term  “alderman”  or  elderman,  the  original  idea 
of  age  is  lost;  and  they  are  simply  names  of  office,  or  titles  of  address. 
*1  Tim.  iiif  6.  2 1  Tim.  v.  22. 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER.  51 

though,  of  course,  learning  along  with  prudence  in¬ 
creases  the  elder's  efficiency,  and  it  is  ever  desirable 
to  have  in  our  boards  of  elders  men  of  intelligence  and 
enlarged  views.  But  it  Is  essential,  in  view  of  the  im¬ 
portance,  delicacy,  and  intricacy  of  the  matters  often 
involved  in  the  work  of  the  session,  that  all  the  elders 
should  be  prudent  men,  acting  wisely. 

5.  He  should  he  a  man  of  good  reputation. 

“  He  must  have  a  good  report  of  them  which  are 
without."1  If  he  bring  with  him  into  the  eldership 
a  bad  reputation  among  his  brethren  or  among  the 
world,  how  can  he  hope  to  exert  a  good  influence 
over  them,  or  to  preserve  unimpaired  the  purity  and 
integrity  of  the  Church  ?  If  he  does  not  command 
respect,  he  will  not  add  to  the  strength  of  his  pastor  and 
associate  elders,  or  help  forward  the  cause  of  the  Church. 

The  importance  of  a  due  regard  to  these  qualifica¬ 
tions  in  the  choice  of  elders  is  the  more  strikingly 
apparent  from  the  fact  that  their  office  is  permanent . 
They  are  ordained  for  life,  as  ministers  are.  “The 
offices  of  Buling  Elder  and  Deacon,"  our  Book  says, 
“  are  both  perpetual,  and  cannot  be  laid  aside  at 
pleasure.  Ho  person  can  be  divested  of  either  office 
but  by  deposition."2  Cases  may  occur  in  which  the 
elder  may  cease  to  be  an  acting  elder;  and  for  these 
our  Book  makes  provision ;  and  in  all  such  cases  the 
people  who  elect  the  elder  have  voice  and  authority.3 
An  elder  removing  from  the  church  in  which  he  was 
elected  to  that  office  does  not  carry  with  him  the 
authority  to  act  as  an  elder  in  the  church  to  which  he 
goes.  They  may  choose  him,  already  an  elder,  to  be 
their  elder;  otherwise,  he  remains  simply  without  tlio 
exercise  of  the  functions  of  the  eldership.  Still,  the 


1 1  Tim.  Hi.  7.  2  Form  of  Govt.,  chap.  xiii.  sec.  vi. 


3  lb.  sec.  vi.  and  vii. 


32 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


office  is  perpetual.  This  is  the  theory  of  the  Church, 
and,  so  far  as  we  can  discover,  of  the  New  Testament. 
It  may  be  competent  for  individual  congregations  to 
secure,  if  practicable,  rotation  in  the  discharge  of  this 
office,  so  as  to  call  into  service  a  larger  number  of 
members ;  but  clearly  the  theory  of  our  Book  seems 
to  be  that  elders  are  ordained  for  life.  Permanency 
is  a  prominent  feature  of  the  office,  one  of  its  excel¬ 
lencies,  and,  at  the  same  time,  a  feature  that  adds  to 
the  carefulness  with  which  it  should  be  regarded,  and 
the  seriousness  that  surrounds  it. 

THE  DUTIES  OF  THE  PEOPLE. 

Ruling  elders  are  chosen  by  the  members  of  the 
church  from  among  their  own  number,  and  set  apart 
for  the  work  to  which  their  office  calls  them.  They 
are  thus  the  voluntarily-appointed  representatives  of 
the  Church,  charged  with  the  care  of  her  highest 
interests.  They  are  a  ministry  of  God  in  the  Church's 
service.  As  such,  they  should  receive  respect  and 
honour.  They  are  “  powers"  and  “authorities,”  to 
whom  there  should  be  a  due  subjection,  as  free  men  in 
the  Lord  submit  to  his  laws.  Paul  says,  “Let  the 
elders  who  rule  well  be  counted  worthy  of  double 
honour.’'  Again:  “We  beseech  you,  brethren,  to 
know  them  which  labour  among  you,  and  are  over 
you  in  the  Lord,  and  admonish  you,  and  to  esteem 
them  very  highly  in  love  for  their  work's  sake.”  And 
again  :  “  Remember  them  which  have  the  rule  over 
you,  who  have  spoken  unto  you  the  word  of  God.” 
And  again  :  “  Obey  them  that  have  the  rule  over  you, 
and  submit  yourselves;  for  they  watch  for  your  souls, 
as  they  that  must  give  account.”1 


;  Tim.  v.  17 ;  1  Thess.  v.  12,  13;  Heb.  xiii.  7  and  17. 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


33 


So,  brethren,  members  of  the  Church,  should  you 
*ver  regard  those  who,  by  your  own  free  choice,  are 
set  apart  to  the  eldership  among  you.  They  are  set 
for  the  government  of  the  Church.  You  have  called 
them  to  this.  It  is  presumed  they  are  called  also  by 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Regard  them  as  invested  with  a 
solemn  office,  having  intimate  relations  to  the  best  in¬ 
terests  of  the  Church.  As  such,  give  them  your  affec¬ 
tionate  respect  and  support.  Yield  readily  to  their 
arrangements  for  the  conducting  of  public  worship 
and  the  promotion  of  religion  among  you.  Give 
them  your  earnest  co-operation.  Make  them  wel¬ 
come  to  your* homes,  and  open  to  them  your  hearts, 
and  ask  them  for  their  prayers.  Let  them  be  encou¬ 
raged  by  your  welcome  and  sympathy,  and  aided  to 
overcome  embarrassment  and  timidity  in  their  at¬ 
tempts  to  serve  the  Lord.  Be  not  disposed  to  find 
fault  with  them,  hastily  to  censure  them,  hastily  to 
believe  an  evil  report  against  them,  and  to  give  it 
currency.  Above  all,  remember  that  their  office  is 
one  of  great  responsibility,  requiring  them  to  devote 
to  it  much  timfe  and  energy,  and  needing  much  grace 
to  enable  them  faithfully  to  do  their  duty;  and,  there¬ 
fore,  often  'pray  for  them.  Do  not  forget  this.  They 
need  your  prayers.  Praying  for  them,  you  will  be 
more  interested  in  them,  and,  through  the  grace  of 
God  imparted  to  them  in  answer  to  your  prayers, 
they  will  be  able  the  more  faithfully  to  labour  in  your 
behalf  and  for  the  Church  at  large,  and  thereby  for 
the  glory  of  God. 

The  ruling  eldership  is  a  spiritual  office,  designed  to 
secure  the  good  order  and  the  healthy  life  of  the 
Church. 

Puling  elders  are  the  representatives  of  the  people, 


34 


THE  OFFICE  OF  RULING  ELDER. 


chosen  from  among  them,  and  solemnly  ordained  by 
the  presiding  minister  or  pastor,  to  administer  the 
religious  affairs  of  the  church  and  congregation. 

They  are  the  co-labourers  of  the  pastor  in  the 
government  of  the  Church.  The  pastor’s  specific  and 
sole  work,  to  which  he  gives  himself  wholly,  is  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel  and  the  care  of  souls.  Bach 
pastor  is  head  of  his  charge  or  parish,  the  presiding 
officer  of  the  session.  The  elders  are  laymen,  assist¬ 
ing  him  in  his  work,  but  not  taking  his  place. 

They  have  authority  among  the  people,  but  only  so 
far  as  the  Constitution  of  the  Church  specifies.  As 
the  representatives  of  the  people,  they  act  in  their 
name  and  in  their  behalf. 

They  have  a  weighty  charge,  demanding  prudence, 
piety,  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  love. 

They  have  an  honourable  office,  in  which  they  may 
do  very  much  for  the  good  of  souls  and  the  glory  of 
God. 

They  should  have  the  respect,  the  confidence,  and 
the  co-operation  of  the  people. 

A  ruling  eldership  profoundly  impressed  with  a 
sense  of  its  duty,  and  filled  with  wisdom  from  on 
high,  is  a  mighty  power  for  good  in  the  Church  of 
Christ,  designed  to  sustain,  strengthen,  and  assist  the 
ministry  in  feeding  the  flock  of  Christ. 

May  such  be  the  Eldership  in  all  our  churches !  May 
the  great  Head  of  the  Church  write,  on  the  hearts  of 
all  the  office-bearers  of  the  Church,  the  words  of  his 
Apostle  Paul : — “  Take  heed ,  therefore ,  unto  yourselves , 
and  to  all  the  flock  over  the  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath 
made  you  overseers ,  to  feed  the  Church  of  God,  which  he 
hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood  ” 


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